Publisher: DK Children

Blood, Guts, and Nasty Cuts

Non-fiction

We love this glorious, high-interest non-fiction choice! Blood, Guts, and Nasty Cuts explores the history of medicine through the lens of the grisly, the gore-soaked and the cleverly inventive. Spanning from the ancient world to modern times (and even a glimpse into the future), readers in Upper KS2 will enjoy building on their knowledge from history units like Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and World War Two, whilst being treated to a host of eye-popping new facts.

Formatted in classic DK style, each double-page spread focuses on a different subtopic and shares information via accessible bite-sized paragraphs, visual timelines, colour illustrations, diagrams and photographs. A helpful glossary and index are also included. Stylised with blood splatters and an explicit focus on the weird and wonderful, the ‘gruesome’ framing serves as a high-interest gateway into what actually turns out to be a hugely informative and comprehensive overview of medical history for children.

The book is written by public historian Dr Alanna Skuse, known for work on health, medicine and the body in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The text balances the gross-out humour many children will come looking for with genuinely interesting scientific and historical context. Readers flick between topics on the earliest recorded surgeries, the evolution of prosthetics, wacky cures, germs, food used as medicine, blood transfusions and medical technology.

I expect many readers, like me, will enjoy most the fascinating sections on Medieval maladies, plague, and pestilence (bound to capture fans of Horrible Histories), while later chapters cover wartime wound treatment, modern medical innovations and the future of medicine, including AI and robot surgeons.

As Dr Skuse notes in her engaging introduction, medics through time simply did their best with the knowledge they had – leading to bizarre healing attempts like hanging toads around necks, doctors diagnosing by tasting patient urine and trepanning (making holes in skulls to let headaches out!). Ultimately, though, history’s trials and errors have paved the way for life-saving breakthroughs like vaccines, antibiotics and anaesthetics. And, as the section on the future of medicine encourages, we’re by no means finished!

This is the kind of non-fiction book that KS2 classrooms will want to invest in, as children will certainly pick it up to dip into time and time again.

Time to Use the Potty: A Potty Training Book for Boys and Girls

Non-fiction

Potty training has never been so easy – or so much fun!

Follow the twins, Jasmine and Jack, on their journey to using the potty. This charming board book is a humorous telling of the ups and downs of toilet training. It teaches hygiene practices, positive reinforcement and a reminder that it is okay when accidents happen.

Time to Use the Potty helps toddlers adjust to potty training in a relatable way. This potty book includes:

– A host of relatable characters – twins Jack and Jasmine, their parents/carers, and Teddy!
– Covers the various steps children need to gain the confidence to use the potty, including choosing a potty, the transition from nappies to pants, and the importance of personal hygiene
– Encourages positive reinforcement for the twins when they use the potty correctly
– Suitable for both boys and girls with practical advice for parents
– Bright and engaging illustrations with actions that children can copy

It’s time that Jack and Jasmine started learning how to use the potty and wearing ‘big girl and boy’ pants. They each have pants, but Jack just puts his on Teddy while Jasmine uses her potty as a slide for her toys! Through small steps, the twins build their confidence while learning how to use the potty.

Packed with handy tips and charming illustrations, this potty book for toddlers is the perfect way to introduce toilet training to your little one. A great introduction to a new learning experience, this preschool book is ideal for parents who are wondering how to teach their kids to use the toilet.

An Anthology of Remarkable Bugs

Jess French

Non-fiction

Zoom in on the miniature world of insects with expert author Dr Jess French and discover some of the most amazing bugs on our planet.

The eighth book in the bestselling Children’s Anthologies series, An Anthology of Remarkable Bugs explores some of the most amazing bugs on our planet.

Children aged 7-9 can marvel at the perfectly camouflaged leaf insect that sways in the breeze and the ogre-faced spider that catches its prey in a net, in this impressive collection that showcases more than 90 of the world’s most remarkable bugs.

This impressive bug anthology for kids offers:

A wide selection of insects featured throughout, each accompanied by a beautiful photograph and an illustration.

The 8th book in the bestselling Children’s Anthologies series, selling more than 40,000 copies in the UK.

A quality gift book, with metallic foil all over, a ribbon and striking photographs on every page.

An Anthology of Remarkable Bugs pairs photography with storybook descriptions that will captivate young readers, whether it’s finding out about bees and beetles or stick insects and spiders. Features on metamorphosis, eggs, camouflage and other key topics explore the enormous variety of invertebrate adaptations. There is also a visual index packed with reference information, including the size and range of each species.

Shapes of Nature

Ben Hoare

Non-fiction

The Times Children’s Book of the Week (March 2026)

Step into the wonders of the natural world with Shapes of Nature – a big, beautiful book bursting with colour, detail, and variety!

Perfect for curious minds ages 9+, this spectacular large-format nature book is designed to inspire a new generation of nature lovers.

Inside, you’ll discover shimmering beetles and dazzling tree frogs, knobbly seashells and sparkling crystals, plus fabulous fungi and delicate feathers – all arranged in stunning mosaics. Each page transforms nature’s treasures into works of art, revealing the hidden shapes and intricate details that we often overlook.

Get inspired by nature’s creativity with:

Countless fascinating facts about nature, written by best-selling author Ben Hoare.

Stunning large-format pages showcasing vibrant, full-colour photography of natural objects.

Engaging text that combines science with storytelling to captivate young readers.

A treasured gift for nature lovers and a beautiful addition to any family’s bookshelf.

Big, bold, and beautiful, Shapes of Nature is a visually stunning gift and a timeless keepsake that invites you to dive in, look closer, and see nature as you’ve never seen it before.

Shapes of Nature was named The Times Children’s Book of the Week on 28 March 2026.

Hidden Heroes of Science

Peter Gallivan & Robbie Cathro

Picturebook

Uncover the unnamed heroes who contributed to some of our world’s most important science.

Explore the hidden heroes that created the miraculous things we find all around us in this science book for children aged 7-9.

Do you ever find yourself feeling curious about who created the science behind some of our most impressive structures? Or wonder who it was that invented the equipment you find in your classroom? Well, wonder no more. This groundbreaking book covers all the lost contributors to the world’s most important scientific discoveries.

This science book for children offers:

Content produced by an exciting partnership with The Royal Institution, world leaders in science.

An exciting introduction to lesser-known scientific figures such as Maria Merian, Gregor Mendel and Percy Julian.

Inspirational stories from pioneering scientists who faced adversity, to unsung innovators who paved the way for modern advancements.

For curious children who have always wanted to know who it was that created coding, or how on earth the Egyptian Pyramids were built so long ago and yet still look brand new, The Royal Institution; the home of science, has all the answers.

What if… Every Volcano Erupted at Once?

Emma Young & Super Freak

Non-fiction

Find out the answers to 33 crazy and laugh-out-loud questions about the Earth with science author Emma Young.

Prepare to learn all about the Earth from rocks to rivers and countries to climate in this engaging question-and-answer book.

What If… Every Volcano Erupted at Once? is not your average science book. Kids aged 7-9 will be drawn into each topic with one of 33 fun questions that are guaranteed to make kids think about our planet in a whole new way. Author Emma Young explains the answers with humour and plenty of science facts that kids will be racing to share with friends and family.

This Earth book for kids offers:

Fun and engaging content by science author Emma Young.

33 laugh-out-loud what-if questions with key science facts woven into the answers.

A mix of photography and cartoon-style illustrations that bring the questions to life.

Curriculum-aligned STEM topics for primary-age children, including geology, Earth science, ecology, and more.

Children can dip in and out of bite-sized information on each page, filled with attention-grabbing photography and quirky illustrations. Even reluctant readers will find this Earth book entertaining, as they find out the answers to the wacky, bizarre, and surprising questions, making this the perfect science gift for any child.

What if… You Didn’t Make Snot?

Emma Young & Super Freak

Non-fiction

Find out the answers to 33 crazy and laugh-out-loud questions with science author Emma Young.

Prepare to learn all about the human body, from blood vessels to the brain and nerves to nutrients, in this engaging question-and-answer book.

What If You Didn’t Make Snot? is not your usual science book. Children aged 7-9 will be drawn into each topic with one of 33 amusing questions that are guaranteed to make kids think about anatomy in a whole new way. Author Emma Young explains the answers with humour and plenty of science facts that kids will be racing to share with friends and family.

This human body book for children offers:

Fun and engaging content by science author Emma Young.

33 laugh-out-loud questions with key science facts are woven into the answers.

A mix of photography and cartoon-style illustrations that bring the questions to life.

Curriculum-aligned and age-appropriate material about the human body for children.

Children can dip in and out of bite-sized information on each page, filled with attention-grabbing photography and quirky illustrations. Even reluctant readers will find this human body book entertaining, as they find out the answers to the wacky, bizarre and gross questions.

The Biggest Dog in the Book

Ben Lerwill & Mark Chambers

Picturebook

This colourful and high energy read-aloud is so much fun for early years children to enjoy, and dog-lovers especially will enjoy its playfulness.

The story follows a series of dogs, from tiny Agnes the Chihuahua to scruffy Shelby, each hoping to claim the title of the biggest dog in the book. It’s a lot of fun watching the dogs get bigger and bigger as the pages turn.

The repetitive ‘he is not the biggest dog’ refrain is perfect for shared readings, as children will quickly join in with the storytelling.

With its vibrant illustrations and a fun fold-out flap at the end, this is a joyful celebration of dogs of all shapes and sizes.

Time to Explore Big Machines

Andrea Mills & Diego Vaisberg

Non-fiction

Time to Explore Big Machines follows the journey of a new apartment block being built. It starts with demolishing an old building all the way to the new families moving into the newly built apartment block. Each page introduces a new machine and explains some facts about it and also the important job that it does.

The illustrations are bright and colourful and have some much detail in them. The text is split into little chunks which make it easier to read. There are so many interactive aspects of the book which make it a great read. At the end of the book there is a big double page pullout which shows all of the big machines that you have met during the book.

This book is a great example of a factual book being suitable for the Early Years. A great book for any vehicle loving child!

You are Younger than a Star

Katherine Halligan & Sophia O’Connor

Non-fiction, Picturebook

This is a beautiful and gently empowering book for young children. Then book combines impressive facts about nature while positioning impressive facts about humans right in the centre. Without overcomplicating anything, it tells children, for example, facts about an ocean scene where a huge blue whale leaves a trail of tiny bubbles behind, and let’s readers wonder at the fact that they are bigger than a bubble and smaller than a whale – but just as awe-inducing as both.

The illustrations bring each page to life and the additional facts are subtle on the page and give extra information about the mentioned items. The book shows how comparisons can be a good thing and how truly unique we are.